Need help with upgrading XP
- Thread starter Interest
- Start date
Your description sounds like an older XP disk that was released prior to SP2 where you now bought a new one with SP2 included. Regardless you will now have to plan a totally fresh install with the new disk using an entirely new product key. The XP installer will automatically delete the current installation where all programs will have to be reinstalled. The folders in the Program Files directory will probably remain intact.
What do you mean by (i couldn't convfigure), does that mean Validate. Are both these CDs XP Pro if so, boot to the new CD let it install files, when it gets to the harddrive page instead on clicking Install click R for repair, it will look like it reinstalling, when it gets the page where you put your Pin number in use the new CD (Good) pin number, if it works all your programs will still be there and the pin number will be legit.
Often you have to perform a repair install with the same disk used in order to see working results. If the installation with the old disk is frresh the repair option won't be available until enough restore points are made over a period of time. To try what is being suggested there look over a good article outlining how to do this step by step seen at http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
That is not true, I,ve done many repair installs when there was no restore points and when System restore was turned off completely.
Oh really? After just having to reinstall XP lately when the first board on the new build quit requiring a fresh install XP wouldn't even boot about a week ago after being left idle for some time to work with Vista. Since both are isolated from each other the Vista drive was again unplugged to try the repair install method which was not seen.
And that isn't the first time for not seeing the option to repair a current copy where Windows then had to fully installed. It depends on how long the current installation has been on and can only be repaired once On one installation that did see a repair install a few years back the option for repair wasn't available. There's a few factors inplay to consider on this.
And that isn't the first time for not seeing the option to repair a current copy where Windows then had to fully installed. It depends on how long the current installation has been on and can only be repaired once On one installation that did see a repair install a few years back the option for repair wasn't available. There's a few factors inplay to consider on this.
Things dont really work out for you do they.
On recent installations the repair option was missing while a copy of Windows that's been on for a lengthy period would see the R for repairing existing installation present. This has been seen on Pro as well as Home edition where SP1 and SP2 installation disks were used.
On those occasions you saw the option to press L to delete the current or custom install a second copy to a different partition or drive. On installations that have accumilated restore points past the first 3 months the repair option was present. The latest was seen on the new build where XP had to be reinstalled after the board was replaced back in Sept. and left idle with the Vista drive being set as the default in mid November. XP was simply let idle during that time period.
On those occasions you saw the option to press L to delete the current or custom install a second copy to a different partition or drive. On installations that have accumilated restore points past the first 3 months the repair option was present. The latest was seen on the new build where XP had to be reinstalled after the board was replaced back in Sept. and left idle with the Vista drive being set as the default in mid November. XP was simply let idle during that time period.
I am not going any futher with this. Theres two reasons why the repair wont be there and it has nothing to do with how long its been installed or if you have a restore point, neither matters! 1. You have a OEM cd, if not all but most OEM do not give you the repair option. 2. sufficiently damaged to the install has been done and might not be recognized and won't give the repair option. Does not have anything to do with System Restore or how long its been installed.
Branded OEMs for prebuilds will see the system recovery option for restoring factory defaults there most often. When something isn't fully copied to the drive that is most often the unseen problem. The old SP1 OEM disk used here would and then wouldn't see the repair current option when custom installing with that.
With the current disk the next if and when will probably see the repair option available. If seen then the first thought is to simply follow the steps in the article seen above to see working results and preserve the current installation. The best advice to give to anyone however is simply termed "frequent backups" to another partition, another drive, removable media, etc. to prevent loss of anything not replacable.
With the current disk the next if and when will probably see the repair option available. If seen then the first thought is to simply follow the steps in the article seen above to see working results and preserve the current installation. The best advice to give to anyone however is simply termed "frequent backups" to another partition, another drive, removable media, etc. to prevent loss of anything not replacable.
ok here is what i ment. My friend gave me a clean new never used windows XP pro. The problem was that it was from dell. The PIN (when you install windows and you have 30 days to activate windows) didn't want to work, so I got a new CD, and since I alread had all these programs installed, I don't want to lose them. I herd it's called upgrading, but when I insert the CD in the drive and click Install windows XP it says that there is a newer version installed and that I have to boot from CD. When I go there I don't see any option of upgrading. I see overwriting, but not upgrading. And my question was, can I upgrade the new CD without loosing and programs.
Since there not the same cd its best just to do a clean install and reinstall all your programs.
If the new disk was made before the recovery disk for the Dell there you would typically see that type of message. The disk that was given is bounded to the original machine it was it was included with. For any other system you would need a totally new disk and will probably need a fresh install of everything there.
Another thing to look at there would be the edition of XP currently installed to see that message. If you are trying to update the Home or MCE editions you will certainly have to perform a full install to see a working copy of Windows go on. You can't repair install one edition with the disk for another.
Another thing to look at there would be the edition of XP currently installed to see that message. If you are trying to update the Home or MCE editions you will certainly have to perform a full install to see a working copy of Windows go on. You can't repair install one edition with the disk for another.